As a SEAL on combat deployment in Iraq, Mike Ritland saw a military working dog in action and instantly knew he found his true calling. While the SEAL teams had used dogs in the past, they never had dogs trained specifically by SEALs, for SEALs. To fill this void, Ritland started his own company after he retired, training and supplying dogs for the West Coast SEAL teams. He knew that less than 1% of all working dogs had what it takes to contribute to the success of our nation’s elite combat units. He searched the globe for animals who fit this specific profile.

Among Heroes: A U.S. Navy SEAL's True Story of Friendship, Heroism, and the Ultimate Sacrifice

From Brandon Webb, Navy SEAL sniper and New York Times best-selling author, comes his account of the eight friends and fellow SEALs who made the ultimate sacrifice. As a Navy SEAL, Webb rose to the top of the world's most elite sniper corps, experiencing years of punishing training and combat missions from the Persian Gulf to Afghanistan. Along the way, Webb served beside, trained, and supported men he came to know not just as fellow warriors, but as friends and, eventually, as heroes.

Team Dog: How to Train Your Dog - the Navy SEAL Way

In Team Dog, Mike taps into fifteen years' worth of experience and shares, in accessible and direct language, the science behind the importance of gaining a dog's trust. He also offers invaluable steps for achieving any level of obedience. His unique approach incorporates entertaining examples and anecdotes from his work with dogs on and off the battlefield and tips from the Navy SEAL guidebook.

Navy SEAL Dogs: My Tale of Training Canines for Combat

The Navy SEAL teams' elite K9 warriors do it all - from detecting explosives to eliminating the bad guys. These powerful dogs are also some of the smartest and most highly skilled working animals on the planet. Mike Ritland's job is to train them. This is the tale of how Ritland discovered his passion and grew up to train these elite dogs. After becoming a SEAL, he was on combat deployment in Iraq when he saw a military working dog in action, and he instantly knew he'd found his true calling.

The Reaper: Autobiography of One of the Deadliest Special Ops Snipers

In the best-selling tradition of American Sniper and Shooter, Irving shares the true story of his extraordinary career, including his deployment to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009, when he set another record, this time for enemy kills on a single deployment. His teammates and chain of command labeled him "The Reaper," and his actions on the battlefield became the stuff of legend, culminating in an extraordinary face-off against an enemy sniper known simply as The Chechnian.

Battle Ready: Memoir of a SEAL Warrior Medic

As A SEAL and combat medic, Mark served his country with valorous distinction for almost 25 years and survived some of the most dangerous combat actions imaginable. From the rigors of BUD/S training to the horrors of the battlefield, Battle Ready dramatically immerses the listener in the unique life of the elite warrior-medic who advances into combat with life-saving equipment in one hand and life-taking weapons in the other. It is also an uplifting human story that reveals how a young Hispanic American bootstrapped himself out of a life that promised a dead-end future by enlisting in the military.

Trident: The Forging and Reforging of a Navy SEAL Leader

Decorated Navy SEAL Lieutenant Jason Redman served his country courageously and with distinction in Colombia, Peru, Afghanistan, and Iraq, where he commanded mobility and assault forces. But his journey was not without its supreme challenges. He was critically wounded in 2007 when he was struck by machine-gun fire at point blank range. During his intense recovery period, Redman posted a sign on his door, warning all who entered not to "feel sorry for [his] wounds."

The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy SEAL Sniper Corps and How I Trained America's Deadliest Marksmen

Brandon Webb's experiences in the world's most elite sniper corps are the stuff of legend. From his grueling years of training in Naval Special Operations to his combat tours in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, The Red Circle provides a rare and riveting look at the inner workings of the U.S. military through the eyes of a covert operations specialist. Yet it is Webb's distinguished second career as a lead instructor for the shadowy "sniper cell" that makes his story so compelling.

Violence of Action: The Untold Stories of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the War on Terror

Violence of Action is much more than the true, first-person accounts of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Global War on Terror. Within this audio are the heartfelt, firsthand accounts from and about the men who lived, fought, and died for their country, their regiment, and each other. Objective Rhino, Haditha Dam, recovering Jessica Lynch, the hunt for Zarqawi, the recovery of Extortion 17, and everything in between...

Navy SEALs: Their Untold Story

Written with the unprecedented cooperation of the Naval Special Warfare community, here is the definitive history of the U.S. Navy SEALs, a thrilling chronicle that reveals the inside story behind the greatest combat operations of our nation’s most celebrated warriors.

Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog

Filled with harrowing tales of knife-edge bomb-detection work, including an extraordinary baptism by fire, Sergeant Rex is a heart-pounding account of how an unbreakable human-canine bond helped Mike and Rex to stay focused on their mission and save countless lives.

No Hero: The Evolution of a Navy SEAL

The second book by former Navy SEAL Mark Owen, following his multimillion-copy classic about the bin Laden mission No Easy Day, in which he tells the stories from his career that were most personal to him and that made him the operator and the person he is today.

Eyes on Target: Inside Stories from the Brotherhood of the U.S. Navy SEALs

Told through the eyes of current and former Navy SEALs, Eyes on Target is an inside account of some of the most harrowing missions in American history-including the mission to kill Osama bin Laden and the mission that wasn't, the deadly attack on the US diplomatic outpost in Benghazi where a retired SEAL sniper with a small team held off one hundred terrorists while his repeated radio calls for help went unheeded.

The Dogs of War: The Courage, Love, and Loyalty of Military Working Dogs

Military working dogs gained widespread attention after Cairo participated in the SEAL Team 6 mission that led to Osama bin Laden's death. Before that, few civilians realized that dogs served in combat, let alone that they could parachute from thirty thousand feet up. The Dogs of War reveals the amazing range of jobs that our four-legged soldiers now perform, examines the dogs' training and equipment, and sets the record straight on those rumors of titanium teeth.

Warrior Soul: The Memoir of a Navy SEAL

"Since the first navy frogmen crawled onto the beaches of Normandy, no SEAL has ever surrendered," writes Chuck Pfarrer. "No SEAL has ever been captured, and not one teammate or body has ever been left in the field. This legacy of valor is unmatched in modern warfare." Warrior Soul is a book about the warrior spirit, and it takes the listener all over the world. Former Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer recounts some of his most dangerous assignments.

Code Name: Johnny Walker: The Extraordinary Story of the Iraqi Who Risked Everything to Fight with the U.S. Navy SEALs

>In this illuminating and informative memoir, an Iraqi translator who risked his life working with American Sniper author Chris Kyle and the Navy SEALs tells his remarkable and inspiring story, offering a refreshing new perspective on the Iraq War. As the insurgency in Iraq intensified following the American invasion, U.S. Navy SEALs were called upon to root terrorists from their lairs. Unsure of the local neighborhoods and unable to speak the local languages, they came to rely on one man to guide them and watch their backs. He was a "terp" - an interpreter - with a job so dangerous they couldn't even use his real name.

Good to Go: The Life and times of a Decorated Member of the U.S. Navy's Elite Seal Team Two

Good to Go is Constance's powerful, firsthand account of his three tours of duty as a member of America's most elite, razor-sharp stealth fighting force. It is a breathtaking memoir of harrowing missions and covert special-ops - from the floodplains of the Mekong Delta to the beaches of the South China Sea - that places the listener in the center of bloody ambushes and devastating firefights. But Constance's extraordinary adventure goes even farther - beyond 'Nam.

Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America’s Canine Heroes

A leading dog-blogger offers a tour of military working dogs' extraordinary training, heroic accomplishments, and the lasting impacts they have on those who work with them. Maria Goodavage here tells heartwarming stories of modern soldier dogs and the amazing bonds that develop between them and their handlers. Beyond tales of training, operations, retirement, and adoption into the families of fallen soldiers, Goodavage talks to leading dog-cognition experts about why dogs like nothing more than to be on a mission with a handler they trust.

Service: A Navy SEAL at War

Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell returned from his star-crossed mission in Afghanistan with his bones shattered and his heart broken. So many had given their lives to save him-and he would have readily done the same for them. As he recuperated, he wondered why he and others, from America's founding to today, had been willing to sacrifice everything-including themselves-for the sake of family, nation, and freedom.

Seal of Honor: Operation Red Wings and the Life of LT Michael P. Murphy

Lt. Michael Patrick Murphy, commander of Navy SEAL Team 10, posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on 28 June 2005 during a fierce battle with Taliban fighters in the remote mountains of eastern Afghanistan. Michael was the first recipient of the nation’s highest military honor as a result of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. He was also the first naval officer to earn the medal since the Vietnam War, and the first SEAL to be honored posthumously.

War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love

In War Dogs, Rebecca Frankel offers a riveting mix of on-the-ground reporting, her own hands-on experiences in the military working dog world, and a look at the science of dogs' special abilities - from their amazing noses and powerful jaws to their enormous sensitivity to the emotions of their human companions. The history of dogs in the U.S. military is long and rich, from the spirit-lifting mascots of the Civil War to the dogs who lead patrols hunting for IEDs today.

Men in Green Faces: A Novel of U.S. Navy SEALs

Gene Wentz's Men in Green Faces is the classic novel of Vietnam that inspired a generation of SEALs. Here is the story of a good soldier trained to be part of an elite team of warriors - and of the killing grounds where he was forever changed. Gene Michaels carries an M-60, 800 rounds, and a Bible. The ultimate SEAL, he also carries a murderous grudge against a bloodthirsty colonel who was once one of their own.

Level Zero Heroes: The Story of U.S. Marine Special Operations in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan

Michael Golembesky follows the members of U.S. Marine Special Operations Team 8222 on their assignment to the remote and isolated Taliban stronghold known as Bala Murghab as they conduct special operations in an effort to break the Taliban’s grip on the Valley. What started out as a routine mission changed when two 82nd Airborne Paratroopers tragically drowned in the Bala Murghab River while trying to retrieve vital supplies from an air drop that had gone terribly wrong.

Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror

Blackwater is one of the most misunderstood companies of our time. As Erik Prince, its founder and former CEO, writes: "Hundreds of American citizens employed by private military contractors, or PMCs, would lose their lives helping our government wage wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, only to have their memory tarnished by the unfair and/or ignorant depiction of PMCs as profiteers, jackbooted thugs, or worse."

Roberts Ridge: A True Story of Courage and Sacrifice on Takur Ghar Mountain, Afghanistan

For the U.S. Navy's elite team of SEALs, the mission seemed straightforward enough: to take control of a towering, 10,240-foot mountain peak called Takur Ghar, a key post in their plan to smash Taliban al Qaeda in eastern Afghanistan.

Publisher's Summary

As a SEAL on combat deployment in Iraq, Mike Ritland saw a military working dog in action and instantly knew he found his true calling. While the SEAL teams had used dogs in the past, they never had dogs trained specifically by SEALs, for SEALs. To fill this void, Ritland started his own company after he retired, training and supplying dogs for the West Coast SEAL teams. He knew that less than 1% of all working dogs had what it takes to contribute to the success of our nation’s elite combat units.

He searched the globe for animals who fit this specific profile. These specialized canines had to pass rigorous selection tests before their serious training could begin. The results were a revelation: highly trained working dogs capable of handling both detection and apprehension work in the most extreme environments and the tensest of battlefield conditions. Though fiercely aggressive and athletic, these dogs develop a close bond with the handlers they work side by side with and the other team members. Truly integrating themselves into their units, these K9 warriors are much like their human counterparts - unwavering in their devotion to duty, strong enough and tough enough to take it to the enemy through pain, injury, or fear.

For the first time ever, listeners get an inside look at these elite K9 warriors - who they are, how they are trained, and the extreme missions they undertake saving countless lives asking for little in the way of reward. From detecting explosives to eliminating the bad guys, these powerful dogs are also some of the smartest and most highly skilled working animals on the planet.

This book is definitely worth every penny. It delivers a unique story that is both written and read very well. I'm really not sure why one of the other reviewers says this is a boring history book. There is some history in the book, but(as the author states) it really serves the listener, as to really understand what goes into the "making" of these dogs, you need to know some of "military-dog" related history. But this book is by no means only this(history). It delivers exactly what the title says, giving many different accounts/stories of the dogs and their SEAL handlers, both state side and down-range. And, just as the books title states, you also get some of the authors background along with detailed accounts of his training of the dogs as well as working them. The narrator of the book(Jeff Gurner) does a great job reading, putting just the right amount of emotion into it. Mr.Hurner has also clearly done his "homework", since he pronounces the military-terms correctly. I point this out because, most unfortunately other "Navy-Seal" book narrators have not. I'm specifically referring the pronunciation of BUDS, which for some reason always ends up getting pronounced incorrectly, like having each individual letter spelled out or a myriad of other incorrect ways.

So, I guess if I were "forced" to find fault in this book, this only thing I could say is that it's to short.

If you could sum up Trident K9 Warriors in three words, what would they be?

Paws, Teeth, Duty

Any additional comments?

I am sure this is a book many will not purchase unless they have a passion for working dogs and what they can do for us as humans. The stories in this book however, demonstrate how little we rely on what I would call a low tech solution to the problems we are facing today in modern warfare. K9's have a sense, we as humans have only begun to scratch the surface of what these animals can do. They protect us and lead us to safer environments through a growing need find peace in a difficult and challenging set of problems. These animals and trainers/handlers demonstrate how useful of a tool these animals are to the soldiers they support. This book is a great account of this low tech solution has been overlooked by our leaders to solve problems. These animals, when used in combination with technologies will help our soldiers and police officers to serve and protect us more in the future. This book is a great account of how these animals are used in conflicts today around the world.

I've owned many different breeds of large dogs, and I thought I knew about training them, but this book was an eye opener on the abilities of dogs and how they're trained to go to war. Great read and I learned a lot.

What made the experience of listening to Trident K9 Warriors the most enjoyable?

The knowledge and thoughtfulness and attention to detail of the author.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Trident K9 Warriors?

Descriptions of some of the training the dogs go through. I didn't realize they do aerobics and lift weights (for lack of a better term) to build their endurance. Makes sense, I was just surprised to hear it.

Which scene was your favorite?

The MWD that chases down an Insurgent trying to get away on a moped.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

To me it was fascinating from cover to cover, but no, not all in one sitting. I like breaking it up.

Any additional comments?

If not the best book I've listened to it is certainly in my top 3. If you like dogs, and the military, this is your book. Most of it covers selection of the dogs, training them and what is expected of the handlers and team mates. The last 1/3 or so is stories about events that take place down range.

Great to listen to. Mr.Rittland tells how he transforms dogs wuth a personality nobody would ever understand into dog versions of the Navy Seals. Outstanding. Thanks you for your continued service to our country.

Yes, Good read for anyone that wants a better understanding of what K9 units do and wants an insight into a vague idea of what working dogs and methods used to train them. I say vague because while the book has plenty of details there's much more to it than you would think.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most interesting to me was talking about the training methods used to teach the dogs and how they would select them. Surprisingly some of the deployment stories weren't as good as I had expected. Maybe they just weren't written in a very exciting way. Those parts seemed a little dry.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, It was pretty matter of fact and I wasn't really surprised by any of it. Good insights, but nothing crazy. It will give you a respect for the dog's, trainers, and handlers and what they go through and have to know.

Any additional comments?

Jumps around a little too much. The story doesn't seem to have an overall story that binds everything together. It jumps from deployments, to training, to history etc. Then kind of randomly selects one of those three to go back through in various orders.

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